Automatic article processing mechanism for timed continuous operation



Oct. 18, 1966 L. LATlNl ETAL AUTOMATIC ARTICLE PROCESSING MECHANISM YFOR TIMED CONTINUOUS OPERATION Original Filedv June 7, 1961 FIG] 2Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS LEO LATIN! EDMOND LATIN] JOHN E. LATNI ATTORNEYOct. 18, 1966 LATINl ETAL AUTOMATIC ARTICLE PROCESSING MECHANISM I FORTIMED CONTINUOUS OPERATION Original Filed June '7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2m w w M w M 1 6 3 8 4 mm 9 3 MM 2 %5 m W W 2 9 w) m H A O 1 2| 4 4 w a/m Y 3 \N a M 5\ 3 l FIG.5

ELM F164 INVENTORS LEO LATI NI EDMOND LATIN] BY JOHN E. LAINI ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,279,149 AUTOMATIC ARTICLE PROCESSING MECHA- FORTIMED CONTINUOUS OPERA- Leo Latini, Edmond Latini, and John E. Latini,Chicago, Ill., assignors to Chocolate Spraying Co., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Original application June 7, 1961, Ser. No.115,424, now Patent No. 3,131,522, dated May 5, 1964. Divided and thisapplication Apr. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 271,258 5 Claims. (Cl. 53-370) Thisinvention relates to twisting mechanisms and more particularlycontinuously operating twisters for any suitable operation in continuityand time relation with devices being processed along a predeterminedpath, although it and certain features thereof may be employed withequal advantage for other purposes and in different relationships toautomatically impart a twisting function to devices or materials appliedto devices without interrupting the continuity of operations.

It contemplates more especially the provision of novel and improvedmechanical movements for accomplishing a twisting operation whilearticles are being continuously processed or treated withoutinterrupting the continuity of operations which entails time and wear aswell as more labor, thereby contributing to the end result without anyappreciable increase in the cost of manufacture. This application is adivision of our application Serial Number 115,424 filed June 7, 1961 andentitled Automatic Wrapping Machines F-or Preformed Uniform Articleswhich eventuated into Letters Patent No. 3,131,522 dated May 5, 1964.

Twisters have heretofore been proposed, but these opcrate intermittentlyand prove unsuitable in machine processing of articles in a continuityof operations wherein intermittent or interrupted motion isadvantageous. These twisters or other motions which accomplish theirfunction while the devices or materials applied thereto are momentarilyat rest, involve substantial time loss, labor expense, and unusual wearon the mechanical parts. Thus, the cost of production and maintenanceexpense is too high for modern use and application. With the teachingsof the present invention, these disadvantages are completely overcomeand improved production, minimum processing and maintenance expenseresults, and many usually semi-automatic steps such as twisting isaccomplished without any time lag or interruption in the sequence oftimed operations and movements which also create undesirable wear andmalfunctioning over an extended period of time.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved mechanicalmovement for mechanical processing so that articles can be tied, wrappedor treated in a continuity of motion and without interruption.

Another object is to provide mechanical elements which simultaneouslyrotate and move along a rectilinear path to accomplish uninterruptedtreatment or processing of articles along a predetermined path in acontinuity of timed operation therewith.

Still another object is to provide a plurality of similar elements forsimultaneous rotation and rectilinear movement during which time thecomponents thereof are in different phases of relative grasping action.

A further object is to provide mechanical claw elements whichsimultaneously rotate and move rectilinearly while to treat articles ormaterials applied thereto in a continuity of timed operation therewithalong a predetermined path.

A still further object is to provide a plurality of spaced claw membersfor timed rotation and rectilinear motion in synchronized relation withthe relative positioning of the claw members in relation to theirgrasping and releasing functions.

Still a further object is to provide an improved compound mechanicalmovement of instrumentalities having a variable jaw action, rotarymovement and rectilinear traverse while being actuated from a commonsource of power operation.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following descriptionof an illustrated embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of one station of a processingmachine embodying twisters or other mechanical elements having improvedmechanical movement.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation takensubstantially along line II-II of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view in elevation of one part of the twistermechanism taken substantially along line lIIIII of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan sectional view of the twister mechanism takensubstantially along line IV][V of FIG- URE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a rear sectional view in elevation of the twister mechanismtaken substantially along line V-V of FIGURE 4.

The structure selected for illustration is not intended to serve as alimitation upon the scope or teachings of the present invention, but ismerely illustrative of one embodiment thereof in connection with awrapping machine for preformed candies and the like; however, :such maybe adapted to any machine for tieing, twisting or manipulating any partthereof or the material such as a wrapper applied thereto in a sequenceof mechanical operations. There may -be considerable variations andadaptations of all or part of the teachings thereof depending upon thedicates of commercial practice. The present invention comprises themechanical movement of twisters for wrappers as applied to preformedcandies and mechanized in a manner more specifically illustrated anddescribed in our copending application identified supra merely as oneenvironment wherein the teachings thereof are applicable.

Describing the environmental structure broadly, there is provided atable frame having a multiple of processingstations which include anendless horizontally disposed conveyor chain 11 provided with a seriesof uniformly spaced grippers 12 that carry the preformed candies with asubstantially U-shaped and incompletely enveloping wrapper along apredetermined path of travel in a continuous movement for eventualdischarge upon the chute which is inclined downwardly for gravitydischarge of the completely wrapped candy unit. The completion of thewrapping operation, however, is effected by twisters operating in timedrelation with the conveyor 11 and grip pers 12 to grasp the openprojecting ends of confronting wrapper flaps presented by the grippers12 before effecting the release thereof. The grippers 12 carry the partially wrapped candies, in this instance, between two spaced twistermechanisms confined in housing 14-15 (FIGURE 1) positioned on both sidesof the hori' zontal stretch of the conveyor 11 which support theuniformly spaced grippers 12 that feed the articles along apredetermined straight path with open end wrappers projecting from bothsides of the grippers 12 to present these open wrapper ends to thetwister mechanisms 14-15 to be presently described.

As shown, the twister housings 14-15 confront each other in spacedrelation on both side stretches of the conveyor 11 with their dependinggrippers 12 supporting the partially wrapped candies so that their openwrapper ends are in the path of the twisters as will appear more fullyhereinafter. Each of the twister housings 1415 have,

in this instance, five twister shafts 16 horizontally journalled therein(FIGURE 2) with two pairs in superposed relation and one at the end forlinear travel so that two twister shafts 16 in each of the confrontinghousings 14- 15, are moving along the horizontal stretch of the conveyor11 in synchronized timed relation therewith to con front and move inunison with the grippers 12 thereon. The number of twister shafts 16 andthe timing thereof with the grippers 12 may vary depending upon thespeed of the conveyor 11 and the time involved in effecting the twistingoperation so that this may vary with each particular type of articlebeing automatically wrapped or otherwise treated or processed.

Each twister shaft 16 is provided with spaced pairs of split idlersleeves 17-18 and 19-20 defining annular 21-22 which ride along spacedelliptical plates 23 defining the path of travel for the twister shafts16 which are moved therealong by interconnecting sprocket chains 24-25which connect with guide plates 26-27 having pointed ears 28- 29 forreceiving pivotal anchoring pins for establishing connection with thesprocket chains 24-25. As shown, the guide plates 26-27 are somewhatlarger than the idler sleeves 17-18 and 19-20 to ride over the sides ofthe elliptical plates 23 serving as a support for the twister shafts 16which are maintained in their proper spaced relation by the sprocketchains 24-25 and displaced rectilinearly therewith. To this end, adriver shaft 30 is journalled in each of the housings 14-15 for rotationin axially aligned sleeve bearings 31-32 supported in housing bosses33-34 for rotation by a sprocket 35 fixed to the shaft 30 externally ofthe housings 14-15. Any suitable sprocket chain is in meshing engagementwith the sprocket 35 for driving engagement with a power shaft on thetable frame in accordance with standard practice.

The driver shaft 30 has a Geneva-type sprocket 36 press-fitted thereonbetween the bearings 33 and 37 (FIG- URE 3) to engage the sprocketchains 24-25 and the sleeves 17-18 on the twister shafts 16 to propelthe latter in spaced relation around the elliptical path defined by theplates 23. To this end, an idler sprocket 38 is journalled in the otherend of the supporting plates 23 to better define the path of travel ofthe twister shafts 16 and for smoother traverse thereof around the guideplates 23 that also serve as supports for the upper stretch of thetwister shaft traverse in timed confronting alignment with the grippers12 on the conveyor 11 described supra. As shown, the twister shafts 16have pinions 39 fixed thereto for rotation therewith at theirextremities to mesh with vertically spaced and horizontally extendingracks 40-41 so that the twister shafts 16 will rotate as they traversethe linear horizontal stretches of the guide plates 23 to impart thedesired twist to the articles or material applied thereto such as theopen ends of the wrappers projecting from both sides of the articlesheld in the grippers 12. This compound movement of linear and rotarytravel is elfected through the main driver shaft 30 through its sprocket35 fixed thereto outside of the housings 14-15, and'driven by a chainextending to the main drive in a manner well known in mechanical designarts.

Open tubular shafts 42 (FIGURE 3) extend outwardly toward each other ineach of the housings 14-15 to receive externally projecting rods 43 thathave oppositely disposed racks in the form of annular grooves 44provided on the externally projecting end of the rods 43 to mesh withgear sectors 45-46 formed on the enlarged circular bosses 47-48 ofconfronting jaws 49-50 which, in this instance have complemental gripperteeth 51-52 to effectively grasp wrapper ends and impart a rotary twistthereto as the twisters 16-51-52 move along a rectilinear path in timedconfronting relation with the article and wrapper grippers 12. Thealigned confronting twisters 16-51-52 in each of the housings 14-15operate simultaneously and perform every detailed movement in exacttimed relation with respect to jaw opening, jaw closing, rotation abouttheir own drive shafts 16, and in their traverse along a rectilinearpath defined by the guide plates 23 and the chains 24-25. It should benoted that while the pinions 39 of each twister pair of jaws 49-50, arein meshing engagement with the racks -41, the rectilinear displacementthereof is in exact unison with the grippers 12 which, in this instance,carry the partially wrapped articles between the twisters 16-49-50 inalignment therewith to effect the grasp and twisting of the open wrapperends to effect the closing thereof simultaneously and while inrectilinear displacement.

The opening and closing of the twister jaws 49-50 for clutching thewrapper ends, is accomplished by the timed longitudinal displacement ofthe rods 43 which are springimpelled to normally retract inwardlythrough the urge of the spring 53 in enveloping relation therewith. Athreadedly adjustable rod extension 54 renders the spring tensionvariable so that the rod projecting end extremity 55 will always be inthe path of fixed earns 56 and 57 mounted against the interior of theback wall 58 of the twister housings 14-15. The relative positions ofthe jaws 49-51 and -52 is determined by the position of the jaw rods 43which, in turn, is a factor of whether or not the rod extremities arefree of or ride in contact with the fixed camming surfaces 56-57. Asshown, the jaw arms 49- 50 are pivoted to and between spaced furcations58 of a bracket 59 press-fitted or otherwise attached to the forward endof the tubular shaft 42. The twister shafts 16 are maintained forrotation about a fixed axis by means of guide wheels 60 journalled onstuds 61 anchored to the outermost shaft sleeve 62 that extends inconfronting relation to grooves 63 provided in the housing walls forregistry with the guide wheels 60. This precludes the sleeves 62 frombeing displaced longitudinally with the axial jaw manipulating rods 43when contact is established by their external extremities 55 with thefixed cams 56-57.

Thus the rotation, rectilinear movement, the opening and closing of thejaws 49-51 and 50-52 is accomplished in timed approach of the partiallywrapped articles held by the grippers 12 that travel therewith owing tothe corresponding timed rectilinear displacement of the conveyor 11, thetwisters 16-49-50, and the simultaneous opening and closing of the jaws49-50 to first grasp, then twist, then release the wrappers at the timethe grippers 12 release the articles for deposit in an inclined chute 13disposed therebeneath for the gravity discharge into boxes forpackaging. This is accomplished without interrupting the movement of theconveyor 11, the grippers 12, the articles carried by the grippers 12for sequential treatment and processing in stages while the twistersmove in timed relation along parallel rectilinear paths to grasp andtwist opposed open wrapper ends and thereafter release same in time forthe grippers 12 to drop the finished articles into the chute 13therebeneath in a continuity of operations.

Different types and forms of articles with varied treatment thereofrequiring twisting action, varying in nature and kind, can be processedautomatically and in a continuity of operations without interruption norintermittent action so that maximum uniformity and quantity isaccomplished against the hitherto comparatively slow and intermittentoperation of mechanisms that suffer appreciable wear under suchcircumstances and produce far less quantities at substantially increasedexpense in labor and machine time. These teachings can be applied to thetwist wrapping of stick impaled preformed candies such as lollipops orsuckers as well as hard candies and even ornamental devices utilizingartistic wrappers and covers. With some modification, the teachings canbe applied to other uses and article treatments depending upon thedictates of commercial practice.

While we have illustrated and described several preferred embodiments ofour invention, it must be understood that our invention is capable ofconsiderable variation and modification without departing from thespirit of the invention, and therefore we do not wish to be limited tothe precise details of construction set forth, but desire to availourselves of such variations and modifications as come Within the scopeof the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A twister mechanism for completing the wrapping of uniform partiallywrapped articles comprising a plurality of rotary shafts, articleengaging members pivotally mounted relative to each other in operativeassociation with each of said shafts to cause their approach andseparation relative to each other, gear segments in meshing engagementcomprising means for effecting the relative movement of said articleengaging means to grasp the ends of the wrappers to impart a twistthereto relative to the articles while simultaneously moving in arectilinear path therewith, means for rotating and linearly displacingsaid article engaging members in a rectilinear path in synchronizedrelation with and during the displacement of preformed uniform articlestherewith along said rectilinear path, said engaging members being inuniform spaced relation to each other, and means comprisinginterconnected chain links to control the operation of said means foreffecting the relative movement, rotary movement and linear movement ofsaid article engaging means in a continuity of operations Withoutinterruption to said wrapper end twisting means and their rectilinearmovement during which linear movement the article engaging members andthe partially wrapped articles are mechanically confronted and spacedfor linear displacement in synchronized relation with the processing ofthe preformed substantially uniform articles.

2. A mechanical movement comprising material clutching members, meansfor rotating said clutching members, said clutching members beinginterconnected in predetermined spaced relation by means of linked chainmembers to define an endless conveyor, means for displacing saidclutching members along predetermined linear confronting paths, means insaid path for operating said opening and closing means and said rotatingmeans independently of each other and for selected intervals, saidclutching members including pivotal mounts, gear segments on saidclutching member pivotal mounts, control means in meshing engagementwith said gear segments to open and close said clutching members, and apower drive for said linearly displacing means, whereby said clutchingmembers may be synchronized to operate in a continuous path of movementalong with said article conveying and handling means to accomplishspecial functions therewith such as wrapper end twisting during theirdisplacement along linear confronting paths with said] clutchingmembers.

3. A mechanical movement defined in claim 2 wherein the power driveincludes a gear in meshing engagement with said chain linked endlessconveyor.

4. A mechanical movement defined in claim 2 wherein said clutchingmembers are disposed in pairs at spaced uniform intervals by means ofsaid linked chain endless conveyor on both sides of article supportingmeans to twist simultaneously Wrapper ends of said articles.

5. A mechanical movement defined in claim 4 wherein stationary cam meansare provided in both rectilinear paths of travel for said articlesupporting means and said clutching means to synchronize the opening andclosing thereof to accomplish the continuous twisting of the Wrap persand the feeding and discharge of the unwrapped and Wrapped articles in acontinuity of operations without any interruption.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,001,351 9/1961Brook et al 53-370 3,131,522 5/1964 Latini et al 53-370 X FRANK E.BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

P. H. POHL, Assistant Examiner.

1. A TWISTER MECHANISM FOR COMPLETING THE WRAPPING OF UNIFORM PARTIALLYWRAPPED ARTICLES COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF ROTARY SHAFTS, ARTICLEENGAGING MEMBERS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER IN OPERATIVEASSOCIATION WITH EACH OF SAID SHAFTS TO CAUSE THEIR APPROACH ANDSEPARATION RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER, GEAR SEGMENTS IN MESHING ENGAGEMENTCOMPRISING MEANS FOR EFFECTING THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID ARTICLEENGAGING MEANS TO GRASP THE ENDS OF THE WRAPPERS TO IMPART A TWISTTHERETO RELATIVE TO THE ARTICLES WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY MOVING IN ARECTILINEAR PATH THEREWITH, MEANS FOR ROTATING AND LINEARLY DISPLACINGSAID ARTICLE ENGAGING MEMBERS IN A RECTILINEAR PATH IN SYNCHRONIZEDRELATION WITH AND DURING THE DISPLACEMENT OF PREFORMED UNIFORM ARTICLESTHEREWITH ALONG SAID RECTILINEAR PATH, SAID ENGAGING MEMBERS BEING INUNIFORM SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER, AND MEANS COMPRISINGINTERCONNECTED CHAIN LINKS TO CONTROL THE OPERATION OF SAID MEANS FOREFFECTING THE RELATIVE MOVEMENT, ROTARY MOVEMENT AND LINEAR MOVEMENT OFSAID ARTICLE ENGAGING MEANS IN A CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS WITHOUTINTERRUPTION TO SAID WRAPPER END TWISTING MEANS AND THEIR RECTILINEARMOVEMENT DURING WHICH LINEAR MOVEMENT THE ARTICLE ENGAGING MEMBERS ANDTHE PARTIALLY WRAPPED ARTICLES ARE MECHANICALLY CONFRONTED AND SPACEDFOR LINEAR DISPLACEMENT IN SYNCHRONIZED RELATION WITH THE PROCESSING OFTHE PREFORMED SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM ARTICLES.